Eliana Willis

Focal/ZDNETHigh-end audio company Focal has announced a new pair of headphones for hi-fi lovers who prioritize personalization, convenience, and portability and do not want to be tethered to the brand’s other wired-only options. The new Bathys MG build on the company’s first wireless headphones, the Focal Bathys from 2022, incorporating more sophisticated and premium features.Focal is best known for its artisanally crafted loudspeakers and industry-leading audio technology, and the Focal Bathys MG fit snugly into the company’s high-end catalog. Like the 2022 Bathys, the Bathys MG include features valuable for the everyday listener, such as Bluetooth connectivity and active noise cancellation (ANC).Also: Focal made wired headphones cool again for me – with impressive style and soundThe Bathys MG have Focal’s distinct custom-made speaker drivers, built in the company’s workshop in France. These full-range drivers sport a magnesium M-shaped dome that promotes balanced sound dispersion and reduced distortion for a more precise soundstage and instrument separation. The first-generation Bathys had an M-shaped dome made of magnesium and aluminum. The Bathys MG promise enhanced sound quality based on the omission of aluminum in the speakers. Aluminum is cheaper, and magnesium is better at absorbing vibrations and promoting speaker rigidity and efficiency. More

Sabrina Ortiz/ZDNETChatGPT’s Advanced Voice Mode was the first major AI-powered voice assistant to mimic a human conversation, addressing typical voice assistant shortcomings. The latest update makes the conversation experience even more seamless and natural. What’s new with Advanced Voice Mode?On Monday, OpenAI shared a video announcing the latest Advanced Voice Mode update, which enhances its human-like conversational capabilities, allowing it to interrupt you less when you are talking. This allows you to pause as you are thinking while speaking without the assistant assuming your train of thought is over or cutting you off. Also: How to use ChatGPT’s Voice Mode (and why you’ll want to)Although Advanced Voice Mode has had this ability since its release, sometimes it would prematurely cut you off, making it a bit more challenging to have a multi-turn conversation than if you were talking to a human. In the demo video, you can pause the speaker for extended periods of time, and ChatGPT Advanced Voice Mode actively listens until she is done with her thought. [embedded content]The AI voice assistant was also updated to have more personality, which OpenAI describes as “more engaging, direct, and concise.” With this update, it is meant to sound more “natural” and less robotic. This difference seems very subtle, ultimately coming down to a matter of preference. Trying the new Advanced Voice ModeEver since I mapped my iPhone 16 Pro’s action button to ChatGPT, I have been open about how much I rely on the AI voice assistant for everyday tasks at least once a day. As a result, when this update was announced, I was excited to try it out since I was already a fan of the pre-update version. Also: Forget the new Siri: Here’s the advanced AI I use on my iPhone insteadThe experience loaded as usual when I activated it, so I wasn’t even sure I got the update. However, when I said an initial prompt, I noticed that the AI assistant waited longer than it typically would to respond. This wasn’t done in an unnatural way but rather in a way that didn’t feel rushed. When I asked about the update, it said it has received the ability to chat more naturally. I followed up by asking exactly what that meant, and it responded, “I mean, I can respond in a way that feels more like a real conversation. I can adapt my tone, ask follow-up questions, and just generally keep things flowing more smoothly!” Also: OpenAI research suggests heavy ChatGPT use might make you feel lonelierThe adapting tone feature was particularly noteworthy, as it is usually the missing element when talking to these AI assistants — that it can’t replicate from conversations with a human. To test it out, I told it that I was both feeling down and then feeling optimistic. In the different situations, it adjusted its voice to be more gentle and understanding, and then chirpy and upbeat. More

Otter.ai Do you ever need help organizing and running your live meetings? Otter.ai is introducing a trio of virtual assistants that could provide that helping hand. Announced on Tuesday, each of the three AI agents has a specific purpose. First up is the Otter Meeting Agent. This one is a voice-activated agent that can join […] More

HyperX During the Amazon Spring Sale, you can save $43 — that’s 28% — on the HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless gaming headset. It’s been about two years since I first got my hands on the HyperX Cloud Alpha wireless<!–> headset for testing here at ZDNET, and I’m very pleased to inform you dearest gentle readers […] More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro is available for $180 for the Wi-Fi version and $200 for the PoE version. This indoor/outdoor security camera doubles as a smart home hub, features 1520p resolution for crystal-clear images, RTSP support, and has a built-in NPU to process video with AI for visual recognition. […] More

When is Amazon’s Spring Sale 2025? Amazon’s Spring Sale runs through March 31. This gives you almost an entire week to snag deep discounts on everything from SSDs and gaming laptops to digital game titles and headsets. Are games, consoles, and gaming accessories really cheaper during Amazon sales? They can be. While we usually see the best discounts on all things gaming during the winter holidays, Amazon’s Spring Sale and competing events at retailers like Best Buy and Walmart mean you can compare prices and discounts to get the best deals.How did we choose these Spring Sale deals?While plenty of gaming laptops and accessories are discounted for the Amazon Spring Sale, not all sales are created equal. I focused on reputable brands like PowerA, SteelSeries, HyperX, and more to find the best value in accessories and peripherals. I also focused on top brands like HP, MSI, and Asus for gaming laptops and desktops with higher-end builds to help you find the best configurations for the best prices.What are the best Amazon Spring Sale 2025 deals?  ZDNET’s experts are searching through Amazon Spring Sale deals to find the best discounts by category. These are the best deals so far:Best Spring Sale dealsBest laptop dealsBest TV dealsBest phone dealsBest Apple dealsBest robot vacuum dealsBest gaming, PC, and Nintendo dealsBest smartwatch and fitness wearable dealsBest headphone dealsYou can also find the best Amazon Spring Sale deals by price:Best deals under $25Best deals under $50And the best deals from other retailers this week:Best anti-Amazon Spring Sale dealsLooking for the next best product? Get expert reviews and editor favorites with ZDNET Recommends. More

Adam Breeden/ZDNETOLED TVs are known for their unparalleled contrast and incredibly sharp and detailed images. LG’s OLED Evo C4 Series Smart TV More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Marshall Major V headphones are available now on Amazon for $150. These headphones deliver powerful sound, with bass and treble to spare and smooth, subtle mids, and can last for days on a single charge. Note that there’s no active noise cancellation, but you really won’t need it, especially if […] More